Fun

In her reading for the Leo New Moon, Sandra Sitron channels a symbol for each of the aspects at play—and provides simple prompts for each sign to create a personal New Moon ritual at home.

We experience a Leo New Moon on August 2nd at 4.44pm EDT.

THE MOON AND ITS MESSAGE“The birth of a star.”

Every New Moon offers us a chance to start fresh; and it is an invitation to use this energy to share our unique light with the world. This can happen most of all through sharing our creativity. Why is self expression so important to us humans? It is a communication of the soul. It is how we share a unique part of our spark, our flame, our light.

And so there is the giving. Our work at this time is to give and to shine bright like the sun. And yet, a communication is not complete if the transmission is not received. So there is also the receiving. Our work now is also to receive recognition for what we have shared. This recognition is important for the proud-to-bursting Leo heart. It completes the circle.

Leo New Moon energy asks us to shine. And it asks us to feel recognized. To hear someone say that we are special. To be worshipped, even if for a moment. And to worship, even if for a moment.

The coming two weeks are a time to give love. And to receive love. Do this however you do. And do it big, with a flourish. Be romantic. Fall in love with life. Play. Be like a child. If you don’t know how, watch them and remember. Connect with your heart and connect with the full pleasure-seeking beam of the Sun.

***

SATURN TRINE THE MOON IN LEO“Haystacks in the field.”

This Leo New Moon is receiving supportive energy from the planet of structure—Saturn. This means any lessons will be easily learned now, if you apply yourself. So focus your intentions not just on being a whirlwind of unbridled joy, as this Leo New Moon might suggest…but on shining your light from a carefully constructed and beautifully rendered crucible of creative energy.

Make a plan and set an intention to come out of this time having produced something to be proud of.

Build your haystack. Make a monument to your love. Funnel all of this super exuberance into a product of some kind. It could be a real product. Or a lesson learned. Either way, you can work with this energy by applying effort and achieving results.

***

NEPTUNE INCONJUNCT (QUINCUNX) THE MOON IN LEO“A clown sitting on a bench and looking at the ground.”

This Leo New Moon, a point of darkness in which to plant our seeds of hope, is wrapped in Neptune’s fog. And this doesn’t exactly feel comfortable. In the symbol, the clown has paused his work and is looking down. The clown wears a mask, he creates a mystique, he is an idealization. These are all traits of Neptune. Neptune is an enchanter. But in this configuration with the New Moon, Neptune is stuck. He doesn’t know where or how to turn. He doesn’t know who or how to enchant next.

What does this mean for you? Take control of your idealizations. Use your imagination to create a life you actually want to live. Don’t let fantasies carry you away. Don’t be tricked by the tricksters. Raise your vibration through meditation and appreciation. Activate your imagination on you own terms, don’t let it take you over. If all else fails, take a nap.

***

JUPITER OPPOSITE CHIRON“A cow chewing her cud.”

So many times we come back to the same realizations. We re-work an old thing in our minds, forgetting that we have covered this territory before. Well, during this Leo New Moon phase, you are ready to expand through an old wound. You are ready for some massive healing. There is always a little pain when antiseptic gets poured in a wound. But this time the pain will be quickly replaced by a breakthrough. Let this moment heal your ancestral line.

Let the light blaze in so big and so bright that there is no more space for unawareness. Everything becomes clear. This is your chance to allow the healing to penetrate all the way through to the core. Do it with love. Use this Leo New Moon to create a bonfire in your heart. The vibration of Leo love heals all. Share your tender heart.

***

NEW MOON INTENTIONS BY SIGN To create a personal Leo New Moon ritual, use the below mantras and areas of self-enquiry to craft a simple statement of release. Then, join us in burning away these used-up stories—using a sacred candle, or any flame lit with the intention of release.

ARIES :: ARIES RISING “I am a powerful creator. I am full of love.” What is holding you back from realizing your grandest creative visions? What needs to be released for you to re-gain the confidence to create with love?

TAURUS :: TAURUS RISING “I nurture myself.” Where in your life are you putting the needs of others first, where you need to mother yourself? What needs to be release to re-dress this imbalance?

GEMINI :: GEMINI RISING “I learn and communicate joyfully.” Who am I having difficulty communicating my needs to? What needs to be released to allow me to express myself more freely in my relationships?

CANCER :: CANCER RISING “I feel secure.” Where have I fallen into unhealthy habits, and how it this eroding my confidence in myself to be of service? What needs to be released for me to re-center with my values?

LEO :: LEO RISING “I share my unique identity with the world.” How is my creativity being stunted? What needs to be released for me to re-gain the confidence to express myself with joy and conviction?

VIRGO :: VIRGO RISING “I honor my intuition.” Where have I been holding back in my family life? What needs to be released for me to show up for my tribe with empathy and compassion?

LIBRA :: LIBRA RISING “I am optimistic about the future. I am supported by my community.” How have I separated myself from my community? What needs to be released for me to re-connect to the future we are building together?

SCORPIO :: SCORPIO RISING “I shine bright in my vocation. I am comfortable being seen.” Why have I been keeping my talents under wraps? What needs to be released for me to feel more comfortable in the spotlight again?

SAGITTARIUS :: SAGITTARIUS RISING “I broaden my horizons. I am without limits.” Where have I put limits on my own potential? What needs to be released for me to expand into the role of both student and teacher?

CAPRICORN :: CAPRICORN RISING “I let go.” What am I holding onto from the past that it stopping me moving forward? What needs to be released for me to dive fully into unravelling my next great mystery?

AQUARIUS :: AQUARIUS RISING “I feel supported in relationship. I trust myself.” Where could my relationships benefit from a radical new world view? What needs to be released for me to forge more progressive connections with others?

PISCES :: PISCES RISING “Through improving myself, I improve the world.” Where have I been dimming my light and playing small? What needs to be released for me to bring my whole self to the table, and truly be of service in the world?

The energy of Sagittarius Full Moon is here to encourage you to go out and have fun. So step outside of your comfort zone, and see what the Universe has in store for you, says Hannah Ariel…

With the Sagittarius Full Moon, we’re turned on and tuned in to our inner visionary; the archer that shoots beyond the Moon, the courageous voice that resides within, reminding us that we are always on a journey—and we that have what it takes even when we think we aren’t “getting it” or we are “missing the point.” When we feel challenged from all ends of the spectrum.

Sagittarius tells us to keep it up, keep going—because there’s something here for you. With the Sagittarius Full Moon, there is a heightened awareness of how we are experiencing (or lacking) the faith that is totally necessary for us to keep going, keep reaching. And it certainly hasn’t been an easy ride lately.

The energy of the May 6 Taurus New Moon dealt with the grounded, earthly facets of our lives. It inspired a manifestation process that has asked us to take it easy, one step at a time, and amid a myriad of retrograde energies that have thrown us emotional curveballs left and right. The sagittarius Full Moon is here to lift our spirits in the face of hard work, emotional work, and spiritual work.

It there’s one thing to know about the Sagittarius Full Moon, it’s that your your willingness to keep your head high and your eyes forward is required; that your confidence, your inspiration, and your vision is truly essential. This moon needs you to work yourself up to a state of full-fledged faith in whatever project you are currently involving your energy with.

Because chances are, with four planets still in retrograde, you may still be riddled with some doubts—doubts that are keeping you from fully giving yourself over to the manifestation process and getting what the Taurus New Moon in Taurus signified you truly want and need from this cycle of energy.

So here we are, May 21, just a day after the Sun enters Gemini, with the moon reaching its peak fullness on the very first degree of Sagittarius—making an EXACT conjunction with MARS also in Sag. This signals an awakening, since there is a “fighting spirit” to this degree. According to Dane Rudhyar, the first degree of Sagittarius reaffirms our capacity to remember previous achievements in the face of adversity, even achievements experienced by past generations. There is something seriously spiritually uplifting about this degree!

Just imagine, for a moment, that at this point in your journey you are being supported by the visions of your ancestors—all the people that came before you to help bring you to this point in time to do what you came here to do. This first degree of Sag, where the full moon and Mars retrograde will meet, “implies a special kind of fire that burns the now to build a greater tomorrow. It is future oriented—refers to the very power implied in the process of civilization—the perpetuation of the spirit of struggle,” writes Rudhyar.

If you feel like you’ve been struggling, know that you’re so not alone; and that you are about to be SO empowered by this Sagittarius Full Moon!

At this time, also keep in mind the power of being connected to other people. With the Sun in Gemini, we may be reminded how some of the most incredible opportunities arrive when we just get out there and mingle with the whims of the Universe, when we aren’t afraid to let go our way of doing things, when we step outside ourselves, and communicate our process and ideas with friends and neighbors.

The energy of this Sagittarius Full Moon feels like the friend who encourages you to go out to ‘the party’ with them, even when you’re not ‘in the mood’—only to go on ahead, and find exactly what you’ve been looking for to help you in your process. The invitation now is to experience opportunities seemingly MEANT for you that you’d never have stumbled across if you hadn’t listened to the voice that said: “c’mon, it’ll be fun!”

Also, as a reminder, lucky Jupiter went direct at the beginning of this cycle, another reason to get that bright-eyed optimism back online. Sure, Jupiter is also squaring Saturn retrograde in Sagittarius, confronting us with our capacity to remain optimistic even in the face of limitations. But you’ve got nothing to lose by staying positive. Jupiter goes forward as Saturn moves backward, so instead of looking to where things went wrong in the past, have faith and look to where things are going right.

If you’ve been honoring your Taurus New Moon intentions and have been carefully plodding away at a task, this could be your big breakthrough—or a reminder of how much others are there for you, whatever your manifestation mission may be. What began with a material outlook may very well reveal a whole new spiritual understanding of what you are capable of as a human being among other human beings.

Look for events around this Sagittarius Full Moon to show you where you need to give yourself an extra push forward, or find a friend to remind you: “c’mon it’ll be fun.” It’s Sagittarius, after all!

Confession. There has been a sad lack of the above (laughter) in my life lately, and this is a shout out, please, for some inspiration when it comes to the pleasure principle. Don’t get me wrong, life is pretty freaking amazing right now. I have somehow made manifest a career that reflects all the things I care about, and allows me total creative expression on a daily basis. I’m writing a book. I just launched the most incredible project with an iconic London department store, and moved into a super-cool new apartment in NYC. I’m in a loving relationship, I have a beautiful new nephew (okay thank you for indulging me in a much-needed gratitude list).

But still, and it’s written into very the DNA of entrepreneurship, life has been feeling very much all-work-and-no-play lately (I haven’t, actually, taken a day off this year I don’t think). And as was discussed with my friend Lucy in London last week, co-creator of spirituality un-conference Higher Selfie, what’s the point of dedicating yourself to your passion and your purpose, if your passion and your purpose then turns around and tries to make you its bitch?

The subject came up when I went to see Sandra Lanshin Chiu for acupuncture last night. She said she could tell from the way my tissue was “clinging” to my bones how hard I’ve been working, and how little room for pleasure, laughter, and FUN, this had left. “You’re all in your masculine energy, and that’s great for getting stuff done. But you’re a woman and you have a yin body, you need to create some space for flow,” she explained (kind of nailing it). Okay so her prescription? “A 30-day self-pleasure diet.”

As in, exactly what you think! Whether or not I decide to take up the challenge and schedule a 20-minute masturbation break into my daily routine isn’t something I’m gonna discuss here, but I will say this is by no means the first time the conversation has come up lately. According to Sandra, “self-pleasure is one of the jewels in a woman’s self-care toolbox.” Another friend in London is writing a book on the topic, while a self-administered orgasm had been suggested to somebody else I spoke to recently as a “grounding” practice.

But yeah, any other suggestions for bringing the joy balance back into my life would also be very welcome. In the meantime, you will mainly find me trying to carve out some good old fashion vacay days and keeping busy with my gratitude practice.

Or maybe the answer is meditation? This week I’m also giving a shout out to Numinous contributor Ellie Burrows, who opened her dedicated meditation studio, MNDFL, in Manhattan last night. Okay, wow, we first chatted about this project in the spring (I remember cos it was the first day she’d worn open-toe shoes this year), and six short months later, enter a beautiful, chic and cosy space in the Village offering a “space to breathe” seven days a week. (Although how much space to breathe this project will allow Ellie while it gets up and running remains to be seen – see above! And enter my acupuncturist’s other suggestion – “a slow-entrepreneurship movement.”)

Most classes are 30-45 minutes, with a few juicy two-hour workshops thrown in (like the one on Love & Justice next Thursday) – and are categorized along the themes in the image below. Read the MNDFL manifesto and check out the full class schedule here. Ellie Burrows, we love you!

Luxury and laughter are the hallmark of Taurus Anya Hindmarch. Here’s a peek into the colorful world of this week’s Material Girl…

Award for Best Fashion Marketing Campaign, In The Cosmos, Ever, goes hands down to Anya Hindmarch. Her What Planet Are You On? microsite invites consumers to enter their name and birth details, and then delivers a totally in-depth reading along with all kinds of cute details – like your birth flower, Native American Zodiac sign, celebrity birthday twins, and even the number of seconds you’re been inhabiting your current human suit.

It was actually launched last summer to promote the brand’s SS14 collection, but it’s still live and still totally addictive! And, in our eyes, it cemented Anya’s status as one of the coolest chicks in the industry. Remember, this is also the woman behind the iconic canvas ‘I Am Not A Plastic Bag’ tote, which was launched in 2007 to highlight the importance of sustainability in fashion – talk about ahead of the game!

Anya’s latest project is equally uplifting – a super cute collection of leather ‘stickers,’ which she’s produced in partnership with super stylist Charlotte Stockdale. The idea is you pick your sticker(s), and use them to ‘sticker-up’ anything you like – from your purse to your gratitude journal – while the smily face (see above) is also featured throughout the current SS15 accessories collection.

Anya, for services to astro-geeks everywhere, and for making the world of high fashion an altogether happier place, we salute you!

:: M A T E R I A L G I R L ::

My label If not vintage, and I know I’m biased, but I love the Brits! Erdem, Stella McCartney…I also have a rather brilliant blouse from House of Holland. I smile every time I see it.

My transformation I had been CEO and Creative Director of Anya Hindmarch since we started over 20 years ago, and a few years ago I fired myself as (and hired a brilliant new CEO!) so I could focus more on the creative side, which is what I love so much. I’m now Chairman and Creative Director. I’m OBSESSED with craftsmanship, and the magical process that happens behind the scenes when making beautiful things. It’s the reason I do what I do.

What if the way to enlightenment wasn’t through your crown chakra…but your feet? Nadia Noir heads to the nearest dance party to find out.

Prayer and meditation are awesome tools for channeling moments of introspective clarity. But as a spiritual species that spends an unfathomable amount of time psychoanalyzing ourselves through mantra apps, self-help books on Audible.com, and grounding ourselves through following our favorite guru via social media, channeling a primal version of Miley Cyrus while gyrating to Madonna’s “Like A Prayer” can be a bridge into unbridled bliss. We live in our heads enough already. Enter the body-purifying sweat of a good old-fashioned, orgiastic dance sesh.

It wasn’t just the ancient Greeks who encouraged the human iterations of their gods, goddesses and muses to get down and get God through song and dance. The Torah calls for dancing, not only as a celebration of God or as a way to worship, but as a way to create the frenzied, supercharged atoms between two lovers in Song of Solomon. In Hinduism, there are the Apsarases, 23 celestial gods that dance to “express the supreme truths in the magic of movement.” Sufis twirled themselves into ecstasy and the Ancient Egyptians thought of everything they did in life as one eternal dance. They even danced at funerals, ready to dance their way through the darkness of death and into the afterlife.

If you’re still perpetually feeling low-grade anxiety or self-abusing your ten pound weight gain, maybe that’s because the answer isn’t in your crown chakra. Sure you can keep seeking a connection to a higher power, but you might never understand what true liberation is until you strip away your sins at classes like Sheila Kelley’s S Factor, talk up to yourself at Patricia Moreno’s Intensati, bump-and-grind your way into a state of Bhakti at Yoga Booty Ballet, or the spiral-sensationalizing of Buti.

But about just hitting up a dance club and twerking shamelessly to a raunchy Nicki Minaj song, feeling the sensation of strength and pleasure crawling up your root chakra, through your core and into your heart. You could stomp it out to some metal like the world’s sexiest Kali, destroying the earth below you and incinerating any doubts you have in yourself. Or, if that’s too hardcore for you, if you’re one of those supple, gentle souls that drowns in tears and whiskey, go sing some old country songs by Patsy Cline at your local karaoke dive bar. Studies even say that moderate drinking accompanied by karaoke is super good for your health.

And in case you’re like, “When am I going to have the time to do any of this stuff? I’m a super woman trying to be a spiritual being having a human experience and those bills don’t pay themselves,” here are four easy steps to just sing when the spirit says sing and twerk when the spirit is like, “Work it girl.”

GET OVER YOURSELF That’s right. Who cares if you’re flabby or ungraceful or if you’re hailing a cab on a busy street. The minute negativity starts creeping into your psyche, do a little dance on the sidewalk or belt out some Beyonce. The only person who is embarrassed by what you’re doing is you. Maybe other people are jealous or hating, but a majority of people will feel inspired by your little performance. They might just join in. Spontaneous soul-healing flash mob? Sounds awesome.

PLAY ON, PLAYA Keep a playlist on your iPhone for those times that you really need to really play. Songs you can dance to in the mirror while dripping wet from the shower or to encourage anyone around you to join you for a slow dance. If that sounds awkward, ABBA usually works.

RECORD YOUR POSTERIOR FOR POSTERITY Have you ever looked back at pictures of yourself when you were in high school or college or some other time you were mired in angst and depression and went, “Damn. I looked hot. What was my problem?” It’s always good to keep visual reminders to yourself that sometimes your pain can be blown out of proportion by your own psyche. There’s no better way to document yourself than at the height of some fun time; dancing, singing, glowing. You might grimace, but guarantee you, when you’re 70-years-old, you’ll be thinking, “I was having the time of my life.” Like me in this video singing Cyndi Lauper’s “Time After Time.” I kind of hate it, but in five years I’ll love it. Don’t shortchange your future with how you feel about yourself today.

GRAB YOUR PARTNER BY THE HAND Mix things up in your relationships with some Sir Mix-a-lot and a mixed beverage of your choice. Or just let the wild nymph out to play and make up some songs in the middle of a hike or something. Start a fake band. Create a fake dance. In fact, keep faking on it ‘til you make it. Let your fake persona, the confident and sassy one, override your warped internal programming to bring out the “real” and really dope damsel and dimepiece that is you.

But you know, some things work for some people and other things work for other people – a really simple and trite statement, but it’s true. If you hate something, you’re not going to keep doing it. If meditating and mantra-repeating doesn’t work for you, you’re not broken. You’re not spiritually unevolved. It’s just up to you to find out what you vibrate with. And maybe, just maybe, what will really reshuffle your chakras and shake up your soul is a sultry striptease in front of one other living being who will never judge you—your cat.